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THE
GREEN FLAG OF THE PROPHET
A UNIVERSAL SUMMONS--ITS
ORIGIN-
AN EMBLEM OF EXTERMININATION
This article appeared in the Thursday, November 22,1877 edition of the
Zanesville Daily Courier, Zanesville Ohio
From Chambers Journal
Since the commencement of war between Russia and Turkey, the world has
several times been startled by the announcement that the "Flag of the
prophet" was about to be unfurled in the streets of Stanbul. Such
an event, if it should happen (which may Heaven avert), would proclaim
a crusade in which all true Musslemans would be bound to take an active
part and to fight against Christianity in every part of the
world. They may be in India, Arabia, Egypt or wherever else their
scattered race has found a home; the raising of the green standard is a
call in which none may disobey without, as the Koran lays it down,
sacrificing all his hopes of Paradise.
This fearful appeal to all the worst passions of the Eastern races
hangs like a menace over the Mohammedan world; and if the word was once
uttered and the dreadful flag unfurled, there is no telling to what
sanguinary excesses it might lead an enthusiastic people. If may
be of interest to our readers if, under these circumstances, we
endevour to make them acquainted with the origin and history of a
banner that has not seen the light of day since the Empress Catherine
of Russia attempted to reinstate Christianity in the city of the
Sultans, and which once unfurled would set the world ablaze.
There has been many flags and symbols used by various nations at
different crises in their history to incite the people to battle on
behalf of religions, dynasties and ideas; but none has attained to the
fearful notoriety which appertains to the terrible flag of the prophet;
which is really a banner of blood, for it dispels the idea of mercy
from the minds and hearts of its followers and gives no quarter to man,
woman or child.
The Red Cross banner of the Christian Crusaders was an emblem of
chivalry, mercy, gentleness and love; but under its folds many a dark
deed and many a shameless act were committed; and it was understood by
the members of the Mohammedan faith to mean nothing less than the utter
extermination of their race. This feeling, with its consequent
hatred of Christianity, shows itself even at this advanced period in
the world's history, by the recent refusal of the Turkish Government to
allow its ambulance corps and hospitals to bear the red cross of the
Geneva Convention ( a sign which is entirely neutral and is designed to
protect its wearers while they are engaged in their errands of mercy to
the sick and wounded on both sides), adopting instead thereof their own
emblem of the crescent. Thus we see these rival emblems once more
waving over the scene of battle, though, happpily, mitigate rather than
increase the horrors of war.
In France the "oriflamme' or golden sun upon a field crimson signified
"no quarter!" But this celebrated flag of the Prophet means
infinately more than this. It is a summons to an anti- Christian
crusade, a challenge of every believer in the Prophet to arms; a war
signal, in fact, which like the fiery cross of Scotland, would flash
its dread command through the domain of Islam. In the interest of
humanity, however, we may hope that "Commander of the Faithfull" will
never utter the dreadful word; for then, indeed, would the whole soul,
and strength of Christendom turn against the enemy of all civilized
laws, human and divine.
The prophet himself predicted that one day, when his followers should
number 100,000,000- which they do now with 20,000,000 more added to it-
his flag should fly against the advancing power of the northern races;
and the Koran Mohammedan Bible says that when its silken folds are
flung forth "the earth will shake, the mountain melt into dust, the
seas blaze up in fire, and the childrens hair grows white with
anguish." This language is of course metaphorical; but it is easy
to conceive, by the light of very recent history, that some such
catastrophe might take place, as the displaying of this terrible symbol
would raise a frenzy of fanaticism in the breast of the Mohammedan race
all over the globe.
The origin of the insignia is a curious one. Mohammed gazing out
upon a vast prospect of field, said: " Nature is green and green shall
be may emblem, for it is everlasting and universal."
Of course in time, however, it lost that innocent significance; and
amid his great visions the great dreamer saw the Green Flag
floating as a sign that all true believers should take up their arms
and march against the Infidels, in fact the green turban was the sacred
headress of the pilgrim or perfected Islamite who had gone to Mecca;
and hence the sanctity of this formidable standard.
When once unfurled, it summons all Islam by an adjuration from the
Koran that the sword is the solitary emblrm and instrument of faith,
independence and patriotism; that armies, not priests, make converts
and that sharpened steel is the "true key to heaven and hell"
Upon that fearful ensign are inserted the words which are supposed to
have been written at Mecca itself- namely, "all who draw it (the sword)
will be rewarded with temporal advantages, every drop shed of their
blood, every peril and hardship endured by them, will be registered on
high as being more meritorious than either fasting or prayer. If
they fall in battle, their sins will be at once blotted out, and they
will be trasnported to Paradise, there to revel in eternal pleasure in
the arms of black-eyed hours (sp). But for the first heaven are
reserved for the faithful who die within sight of the Green Flag of the
Prophet" Then follow the terrible and all-significant
words, the fearful war-cry against God and man, "Then may no man give
or expect mercy."
This is the outburst of barbarism with which the world is threatened in
this year of grace, 1877; and the reader cannot do otherwise than mark
the cunning nature of the portentous works inscribed on the
prophets banner. What would not most men do, civilized or savage,
for "temporal advantages"? While to the eastern people
fasting and praying, are looked upon as of so meritorious a nature,
than to find something else which, in the eyes of Allah, would be
desideratum which none would fail to grasp by any means whatever, if it
came within its reach. But Mohammed's wonderful knowledge of
human nature, is shown in his picture of Paradise as prepared for the
faithful who fall in battle while his declaration that the highest
heaven in this so called Paradise will be reserved for those who die
within sight of the Green Flag, is a masterpiece of devilish policy
unequalled in the annals of mankind.
It scarcely needed the fearful words which follow, to add emphasis to
this dreadful appeal to the passions of a semi-barbarous race.
Another motto on this sacred flag is not without significance at the
present time; "The gates of Paradise are under the shade of swords;"
and this alone would, if the flag were unfurled in the Holy Mosque of
Constaninople, give to the Turk a moral power over his subordinates the
effect of which it would be vain to calculate. Civilized though
he partially is , he still firmly believes in the old doctine of kismet
or fatality, and in angels fighting on his behalf; not less implicitly
than did his ancestors at the Battle of Bender, where this formidable
green standard was first unfurled, "There," says the historian,
"they elevated the standard which Mohammed from his height in heaven
blessed."
Thus arose the great tradition of this sacred war emblem, which, it is
a Turkish boast, was never yet captured in battle, though it was once
in extreme peril in a fight between hill and plain, when Mohammed
himself had it snatched out of his hands. Ali, his kinsman,
however, thrust himself in front of a hundred spears and won the
victory with the immaculate flag flying over his head.
It is scarcely to be wondered at that a race so superstitous as the
Turks should attach an almost miraculous value to to such a symbol of
their past history and their present power. It is a spell
wherever their race or religion flourishes, and its invocation in the
serious form now menaced cannot be regarded without anxiety. The
day of the military apostles of Mohammed may be past, it is true, but
the tradition survives; and the unfurling of this flag might be the
spark which would set fire to the latent enthusiasm of the Mohammedan
race and involve the world in a religious war.
We have referred to the great French banner, the oriflamme, and it was
that which led the french Crusaders through the Holy Land and headed
the royal armies of France in the campaigns of the sixteenth century,
while it also divided the Blue from the White in the Burgundian civil
wars ; but this flag of the Prophet today exercises a magical influence
over 120,000,000 of the human race, scattered about in Arabia, Syria,
Asia Minor, Persia and Egypt, over the Nile and the Ganges, and from
Jerusalem to the Red Sea.
The desire of Mohammed, however, was, that all the pilgrims whose tasks
had been duly fulfilled should wear the green turban, no sovereign in
his succession should unfurl the Green Flag of the Faith unless Islam
were in imminent peril. The unfurling of the banner would be
performed with great religious ceremony, and in the presence of the
Commander of the Faithful who is himself supposed to carry it at the
head of its army; while a fearful curse would be called down upon the
head of every Mohammedan who, capable of bearing arms, failed to rally
around it.
The standard itself is not a very handsome one, and is surpassed in
value and appearance by many of the banners which belong to the
various benefit societies and other mutual associations of men in
this country. It is of green silk, with a large crescent on the
top of the staff, from which is suspended a long plume of horsehair
(said to have been the tail of the prophet's Arab steed), while the
broad folds of flag exhibit the crescent and the quotations from the
Koran already mentioned.
The state color of one of our regiments of the guards is a much
prettier and more expensive banner of Islam, but (to such small
things is man's enthusiasm attached) if the latter was the veriest
'rag' in existence nothing could mar the beauty which the prestige of
more than a thousand years has given to it in the eyes of a Musselman.
The Flag of the Prophet is kept in the mosque of St Sophia at
Constantinople, and is in the custody of the Sheik ul-Islam, or
Mohammedan chief-priest, where all well wishers of humanity may
sincerely trust it will ever remain. |
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